Toy construction apparatus

Abstract

An assembly toy comprising a plurality of engaged interconnectable elements, each interconnectable element including a generally planar surface and comprising at least one engagement portion selected from first and second types of mutually interconnectable engagement portions, individual ones of the first and second types of mutually interconnectable engagement portions, when engaged permitting relative displacement of the elements interconnected thereby with a plurality of degrees of freedom.

We claim: 
     
       1. An assembly toy comprising a flexible generally planar array of removably interconnectable tile elements, each interconnectable tile element having a generally planar wall and a plurality of upstanding side walls arranged at the periphery of said generally planar wall and extending generally perpendicular thereto to an edge, said plurality of upstanding side walls having a first thickness and comprising: at least one upstanding side wall having formed thereon an engagement socket defined by a slot formed in the upstanding side wall which extends to said edge thereof; and a retaining protrusion arranged adjacent the slot, said retaining protrusion extending beyond said wall with a second thickness; and   at least one upstanding side wall having formed thereon an engagement element including an axial portion extending outwardly from said side wall and a lateral portion extending laterally from said axial portion at a location spaced from said side wall by a first distance;   said engagement socket and said engagement element being configured such that upon engagement of said engagement element with said engagement socket, said axial portion extends through the slot and said lateral portion lies beyond the retaining protrusion;   said engagement socket and said engagement element being configured such that said first distance is approximately equal to the sum of the first and second thicknesses, whereby engagement and disengagement of the engagement socket and engagement element on separate tile elements may be achieved by relative motion of the tile elements parallel to their respective side walls and parallel to said slot when the side walls are in touching relationship and whereby once the tile elements are engaged the interconnection therebetween permits relative pitch, roll and yaw rotation therebetween without producing disengagement.   
     
     
       2. An assembly toy according to claim 1 and wherein said engagement socket and said engagement element are configured such that six degrees of freedom are provided for relative displacement of the tile elements interconnected thereby. 
     
     
       3. An assembly toy according to claim 2 and wherein said six degrees of freedom include axial, lateral (side to side), transverse (up - down), and rotation about three perpendicular axes. 
     
     
       4. An assembly toy according to claim 1 and wherein said engagement socket and engagement element are configured such that when engagement socket and engagement element are engaged, relative rotation thereof about either of two perpendicular axes beyond predetermined limits produces disengagement rather than breakage of the interconnected elements. 
     
     
       5. An assembly toy according to claim 1 and wherein the lateral portion extends in a single direction from the axial portion. 
     
     
       6. An assembly toy according to claim 1 and wherein said engagement socket and engagement element are configured that upon engagement and disengagement of individual elements, the lateral portion must pass the retaining protrusion. 
     
     
       7. An assembly toy according to claim 1 and wherein said retaining protrusion is formed with a rounded surface for facilitating traversal thereof by the lateral portion. 
     
     
       8. A three dimensional object formed by a multiplicity of joined interconnectable tile elements, each interconnectable tile element having a generally planar wall and a plurality of upstanding side walls arranged at the periphery of said generally planar wall and extending generally perpendicular thereto to an edge, said plurality of upstanding side walls having a first thickness and comprising: at least two upstanding side walls having formed thereon an engagement socket defined by a slot formed in the upstanding side wall which extends to said edge thereof; and a retaining protrusion arranged adjacent the slot, said retaining protrusion extending beyond said wall with a second thickness; and   at least two upstanding side walls having formed thereon an engagement element including an axial portion extending outwardly from said side wall and a lateral portion extending laterally from said axial portion at a location spaced from said side wall by a first distance;   said engagement socket and said engagement element being configured such that upon engagement of said engagement element with said engagement socket, said axial portion extends through the slot and said lateral portion lies beyond the retaining protrusion;   said engagement socket and said engagement element being configured such that said first distance is approximately equal to the sum of the first and second thicknesses, whereby engagement and disengagement of the engagement socket and engagement element on separate tile elements may be achieved by relative motion of the tile elements parallel to their respective side walls and parallel to said slot when the side walls are in touching relationship and whereby once the tile elements are engaged the interconnection therebetewen permits relative pitch, roll and yaw rotation therebetween without producing disengagement permitting relative displacement of the tile elements interconnected thereby with a plurality of degrees of freedom,   at least some of said multiplicity of tile elements being simultaneously engaged to four adjacent tile elements.